The Gambit
by xybolic
Summary: A gang with its members very worn from being attacked by psychoses, a giant squid, flabby creatures from space, runes, and other insanities, you'd think they'd be excused from another adventure.


**An update, could it be? Behold, a new story.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Gone**

_**Nostremius**_

'I hear that you were on a date with Trouble Kelp. Are you two planning on building a bivouac any time soon?'

Artemis's face was good-natured, almost innocent, except for his eyes, which strained to detect every possible twitch of muscle on Holly's face and each body language she could show. His right hand that held hers froze except for the forefinger, which subtly moved to feel her wrist's pulse. The corners of his lips tugged into a small smile, expressing humour to cover the puzzling uneasiness bubbling inside him, which he mentally blamed to his illness. Unfortunately for him, his illness did not like being blamed and thus, in vengeance, jerked his arm. And not subtly so.

Holly peered down at him through hooded eyes, looking almost amused but slightly irritated. 'Then I guess you've also heard that it was only _once_.'

'Any chance of a second one?' he asked airily.

'I doubt it.' She pursed her lips for a second, and then gave a long sigh. 'Artemis...'

'Holly?' he prompted when she only bit her lower lip, as though hesitant.

'It's just—noth—' The elf's brow creased. 'You're tired.'

'I'm resting,' he retorted, cocking an eyebrow.

'I don't mean just physically tired, Artemis.'

'You underestimate my mental capability.'

'You have to admit that it's _nutty _at the moment.'

The rare smile from the Fowl boy vanished at the reminder of his underwater unbalance, and his cheeks soon acquired a pinkish tinge.

'And besides,' Holly continued as she absently slipped her free hand beneath his to sandwich it, 'you might be a little too unstable for—for a heart-to-heart talk.' She shook her head, grinning and chuckling at the same time.

'Talk is unnecessary,' he replied curtly, the colour on his face turning into a full blush. 'As I said, Orion's feelings are not—'

'That's not just—that's not what I meant,' she cut him off in an indignant tone, her face also reddening. 'Guilt is also an emotion, you know!'

Artemis did not reply. Holly glared at the opposite wall and then huffed quietly at her bout of immaturity. She stayed silent, thinking of opening up the conversation through other means. While she may have a clever and witty way with words, Artemis, who could direct the flow of any conversation to suit him, was a master of manipulation.

Just as she had given up and opened her mouth to tell him that they should to talk, and that she swore to the gods, especially to _his_ number gods, that they would, the door flew open and N°1 bounded up to the pair in a quick pace.

'Foaly told me you're awake,' he said, giving a relieved smile as he stood at the end of the bed.

'Magical detox?' inquired Artemis. He felt a tic coming. Inexplicable fear began to crawl under his skin. 'This soon?' he asked, unable to keep the quiver from his voice. He glanced up at Holly pleadingly.

The complex is acting again, he thought. He needed to fight it.

'Nope,' replied N°1, grinning. 'I just want to see that you are safe. Oh, and yes, detox. I guess it's necessary. I can perform it later for you. Or Qwan, maybe.'

Artemis blinked repeatedly, his eyes darting around the room. The knowledge of the delay of the detox did nothing to calm his nerves.

'No,' he said as firmly as he could.

'Artemis, it will help you recover,' said Holly, giving his hand a squeeze. 'And remember, this will cleanse your body from magic, making healing easier.'

Artemis shook his head. His mind was jumbled, all thoughts coming and going in all directions, random, uncontrolled, and sometimes colliding. 'No. Yes. I mean, yes, but...' He met the pair of orange eyes directly in front of him and saw his demon friend looking anxious. 'All right,' he said finally. He lowered his gaze and kept it focused on Holly's hand. 'But only after I have researched demon magic.'

'What do you mean?'

'I—I need to see demon texts.'

'Why?'

'I don't trust magic very much right now.' Artemis curled the fingers of his left hand as though it would help him steady his thoughts. If looks could burn, Holly's that was intertwined with his right would have ignited a minute ago already. 'I need proof. I need to study it. I need to assure myself that—I don't know—that I won't die or have something equally distressing happen to me. Please, understand. Humour me at least for now.'

N°1 thought for a moment as he walked over to stand beside Holly. He smiled. 'I'm fine with this. I shall ask Qwan. I'm sure he won't mind.'

* * *

Major Acacia marched down in one of the main corridors of _Nostremius_, a soldier's sense guiding his every step. The rooms in this hall were occupied by the most important government officials in Atlantis so he should be extremely alert. He might also get a reward if he happened to save the life of someone important. More gold meant his ex-wife would badger him less for child support.

With heels clicking, he spun around and stood upright at the intersection of the perpendicular corridors, his back against the wall, as he tried to look menacing for potential offenders he might come across. Inside his helmet, an alert came informing him about an incoming video call. He blinked in a somewhat random manner, and his superior commander burst into a small screen over his right eye.

'Commander Kelp,' he acknowledged.

'Major Acacia,' Trouble grunted. 'Is everyone with Fowl still in the hospital ship?'

'Yes, Commander.'

'Very good. Secure Diggums.'

'Sir?'

Acacia couldn't help showing a puzzled look. Despite being dodgy, Diggums were on the side of the LEP, or at least on the side that would grant him more freedom. He and his partner Doohdah Day had been a huge help to them, much more than the major would care to admit. Then again, a fairy should never trust a pair of ex-criminals wholeheartedly.

'Excuse me?' he said. 'I don't think I heard—'

'_Secure Diggums_. An investigation in B. Root Alley yielded a result and all evidences point to Diggums.'

Acacia nodded gave a curt nod, and began to execute another series of blink to call out his team. 'Yes, sir.'

* * *

Approximately four thousand metres from the surface, _Nostremius_ purposefully swam northerly in the Atlantic towards Haven, Lower Elements. Underwater creatures peered through the portholes, caught by the light from the inside, but none of the nature-loving passengers were able to spare a glance to appreciate them. A school of fish swam below the lower hull in the opposite direction, disappearing amongst the bubbles trailed by the rotors and into the darkness. It was a long journey since it was obviously inadvisable to travel in a way that would compete with the speed of sound while there were injured fairies (and humans) aboard.

The uneventful drifting went on for at least an hour until _Nostremius_'s pod-light illuminated a dark, circular entrance about a kilometre away. As the hospital ship entered and went farther, the tunnel narrowed, the distance all around it almost hull-to-rock. The end of the tunnel opened up to a wide space, still underwater, but no sea creature inhabited it. _Nostremius_ drifted upwards and emerged in a brightly lit cavern that was big enough to accommodate a semi-circular port for forty-odd tourist and ambulance shuttles to and from Atlantis. The concave roof shimmered with the glow of the lighting attached to different recesses on the surface rock. Vessels of all kinds entered and exited the tunnel end underwater, and the arriving ones surfaced and sailed to one of the docks. _Nostremius_ had its own dock, to where it manoeuvred, so that it would be unhindered by bustling travellers. Nevertheless, the dock was crowded. Mobs of medics and LEP officers darted all around the platform, and once the ship was positioned, they began to climb up and down the gangplanks to assist whoever was in need, which was almost everyone.

Holly carefully treaded one gangplank, behind her which the gang was following her steps, with the Mud Men bringing up the rear. Upon setting foot on the pier, she heard a hair-raising shriek that made her lift her head in alarm and step back to bump onto Foaly, who had looked around for the source of the unholy sound. Holly knew that shriek, and it, upon her recognition, called forth goosebumps to travel up her arms. It was a shriek so horrific that moisture began to appear on her temple and trail down past her widening eyes.

It was the shriek of the monst... er, mother.

All of a sudden, she found her vision flash yellow before going black, and her breathing constricted as she was smothered in an iron-grip embrace. Or rather Mrs Kelp shoved her considerably fleshy bosom onto Holly's face, which she pushed down with her limbs just in case the captain was still breathing. Holly had to tighten her hold onto her helmet lest it flew away from the force of the grown elf's attack.

'Oh, Frond! I was so worried about you, Holly dear.' Mrs Kelp held Holly at a distance and showed her tear-stained face. They budged a bit out of the bridge's path, Mrs Kelp gripping Holly's shoulders, to give way to the held-up fairies and humans.

'Mrs Kelp!' exclaimed Holly in shock.

Mrs Kelp took out a lacy yellow handkerchief that was as bright and ridiculous as her outfit and dabbed her eyes and cheeks. 'Oh, please, Holly. I told you to call me Poppy.' She leaned over her ear and whispered, 'Of course, I wouldn't say no to "mummy".' The smile that grew on her face as she pocketed the folded cloth frightened Holly. 'Nothing beyond healing, I hope?' she said, smacking the captain's hip with a wink and a smirk as though they shared a secret. 'Wouldn't want the family to be in danger, would I?'

'Mum!' a frustrated voice cried out.

Mrs Kelp craned her neck to see her son weaving through his officers, looking exasperated.

'Oops. Caught.'

She winked at Holly again before running to escape. Holly watched the elder elf's retreating, blindingly yellow back dive into the crowd. She couldn't help but gape and show a horrified expression at what she had just heard.

'I am going to rip my uterus out,' she managed to utter, shuddering.

Trouble shambled towards Holly. With a bashful smile, he gave her a brief one-armed hug and then grasped her right hand between his two. 'Turns out I need not to worry, Captain. You handled the situation well enough.'

Holly's eyebrows shot up. _Well enough_ would be the last thing he would think of when she submitted her report. 'Civilians are not allowed in this area; why is your mother here?' she asked, trying to iron her face to resemble normal after her encounter with the monster. Er—mother. She always got it wrong in her head.

'Yeah. I tried to stop Mum, but... you know her,' Trouble mumbled the last words, grimacing, and red blotches appeared on his cheeks. 'Anyway, I have work to do. I'm glad you're safe, and... see you around!' With a pat on her shoulder, he climbed the gangplank, followed by three other officers.

Sighing at the horrible thought of more paperwork, Holly tried to find where her friends had gone. It was not a long search. They huddled not far away from the end of the pier to where two vans with the logo of Dr J. Argon's Clinic were parked. Foaly was talking in his phone, scowling; Butler aided Artemis as he clambered into the nearest vehicle; and Juliet waved her hands over head to catch Holly's attention. As if it was necessary, being the only human trio in Haven. Juliet cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, 'Hey, Holly! Stinky still there?'

Striding to where they were, Holly raised her palms and shrugged. 'I think he hasn't come back from the raiding the galley,' she said when she was in a normal hearing distance.

Juliet blew her lower lip. 'Pity. I was going to ask him to come with me.' She placed her knuckles on her hip and grinned. 'Oh well. See you, guys. I'm going with those officers over there. That vehicle, right, Foaly?'

Foaly spared her a split-second glance and nodded, still talking to his phone—something about a large ice-cream cone order and prices—and not paying much attention to his surroundings.

Butler hugged Juliet. 'Be careful, sister.'

'Too paranoid, big guy,' she replied, giving his broad back a thump before he let her go. 'I'm just going to pick up Mrs Fowl. Nothing the Jade Princess can't handle.'

Despite her words, they knew with their last experiences that even a little jaunt to the bathroom could lead to their demise. Unspoken words, anxiety, and worry were carried through the simple gesture.

Juliet gave everyone a small wave. 'Bye!'

And Butler watched his sister trot off to the group of green-suited officers waiting for her a few metres away. Once every fairy were in, the LEP vehicle roared to life. It drove out into the main road, to another tunnel that would lead to E7, Tara shuttle port.

'You and Mrs Kelp seem... familiar,' said Foaly, pocketing his phone. 'What, did Trubs introduce you to the family already? Family reunion, perhaps?'

'_No_.'

Holly climbed into the vehicle and slumped down beside Artemis who appeared to be sleeping.

Foaly's head appeared in the open doorway. He pressed his forearm on the upper frame and smirked at Holly. 'Really? Family-to-be, eh? Don't think I didn't catch that. Something you forgot to tell your best friend over a hot mug of coffee?'

The skin between Holly's eyebrows furrowed as she glared up at him for a second before rolling her eyes. She rubbed her temple in exasperation. The time Mrs Kelp appeared, Foaly just had to be at a hearing distance. 'Well, you know how she is.'

'No, Holly, I _don't_ know how she is.' Foaly clasped his hands together and gave her a gleefully tight-lipped smile. 'I didn't even know that you two are aware of each other's existence, let alone touchy-feely close. Oh, please, enlighten me, dearest friend.'

Holly huffed, ignoring the centaur, and slipped her helmet on.

'Hey, Mud Boy, stop looking so happy about Holly's blatantly horrid love life. It's becoming more apparent that Orion's telling the truth about the _passionné_.'

Artemis's eyes shot open, and he threw Foaly a dirty look. 'I was _not_ looking happy, centaur. I was trying to get some rest.'

'You won't be getting any rest. You Mud Men use ten to thirteen muscles to smile. That's too much, lover boy.'

Butler tapped Foaly's shoulder. 'Foaly, let him be,' he said sternly. 'He's ill. I will be in another vehicle the whole trip, and I don't want my principal pestered on the way.'

Due to his size, Butler had a van all to himself. He did not like this arrangement, but there was nothing he could do. He doubted the fairies would allow him on the van's roof, which was an option he seriously considered.

'Sorry,' said Foaly, 'I tend to get carried away with the teasing—'

'D'ARVIT!' swore Holly as her helmet's visor shot up. Everyone turned to her—even the driver's eyes flew to the rear view mirror. 'Foaly, do you know anything about this?'

'What are you on about?'

'Mulch! He's getting arrested!' Holly jumped out of the vehicle from her seat. 'Why didn't Trubs say anything?' She tried to pace back and forth, but only managed an erratic turning progress on the spot where she stood. She was baffled and so were her companions.

Artemis sat up straight and stared at the elf. 'What? Was this about the Sozzled Parrot?'

'No,' said Foaly. His forefinger was a blur on his phone's touch-sensitive screen. 'According to the investigators' report that came in only two hour ago, Mulch was the culprit in a three-year-old unsolved murder.' He snorted. 'What? This is as ridiculous as... I mean, we'd sooner find Orion's birthmark than Mulch kill a fellow fairy!'

'I know that you find it hard to believe, Foaly,' said Artemis in an annoyed tone, 'but would it be too much for you not to use my illness as a simile?' Then he looked at elf. 'Make another turn, Holly, to make a total of ten, and then stop.'

_Frond help me, I will strangle this boy soon_, she thought as she acquiesced to Artemis's command. 'He's an ex-convict—reformed but very far from pristine. All the same, a three-year-old murder? I doubt it.'

'This is not his style. Mulch escapes aboveground after a crime, doesn't he?' said Butler, frowning.

'Foaly, give me the details.' Artemis held out his right hand while his left rubbed his temple. 'When was the exact date the crime took place?'

'The 31st of July,' replied Foaly, handing his phone over.

'That's five months after we disappeared to Limbo,' said Holly in a strained voice. 'I can't defend him.'

'Excuse me,' came the driver's voice. He leaned on his open window, and his questioning eyes focused on Foaly, whom he seemed to take as the responsible one in terms of age, position, and species. 'Are we still waiting for the dwarf? Or are we ready to go?'

Holly chewed the inside of her mouth, deliberating. After a few seconds, she moved to settle on her seat, even if every fibre of her being wanted to go back to the ship.

Foaly followed her suit and clomped at the back of the van with difficulty to occupy the wider backseat, saying, 'Drop me off at Police Plaza.'

* * *

**Dr J. Argon's Clinic; Four hours later**

Butler sat cross-legged on the end bed of the five fairy-sized, steel-framed ones pushed together side-by-side to accommodate his size. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was slow and steady. Meditating helped him mull things over.

'_I'm sorry, Butler.'_

'_I forgive you, Artemis.'_

And then followed the talk of his retirement.

He lowered his head onto his palm, covering his eyes. Of course, he had considered retirement numerous times, but his mind never did go far. Life without Artemis was unimaginable. Artemis, despite being his master and employer, had been like a son to him, had been like a family he never had the chance to have. Maybe if he had a son, he could entrust Artemis to him... but would he be able to bear to endanger his own flesh and blood for someone not in any way related to him?

He sighed.

It had already been a stressing day: In addition to the collision with Turnball, who had died with his wife, Mulch got arrested; moreover, Mrs Fowl would arrive in less than an hour, and he would soon have to explain the entirety of the events that had taken place. Thinking of unnecessary things would only add further burden he need not to bear. If Artemis decided to fire him, then so be it. He would think about later life when and after it happened. It would probably a lonely life, but he would deal with it.

He stood up, rubbing the back of his shaved head, as he made for the ward's bathroom. It was cramped for his size, but he fit. After all, fairies come in all shapes and sizes, and there were times that one would be as huge as a midget Mud Man, so for Butler, the space was simply a cramped human bathroom—a stylish human bathroom with sleek surfaces of metal and granite. Argon would obviously charge the LEP for letting him use this ward.

Taking a warm shower had always been one of his favourite ways of relieving stress (holding his Sig Sauer while reading a good romance novel being the first, but that was a secret). His body felt disgusting and dirty, and he shuddered to think that he may have been only a bit cleaner in comparison to Mulch. Argon's staff had prepared him white fluffy towels that were the size perfect for Beckett and Myles and some of the largest white patient clothes with the clinic's logo. Butler hoped Juliet would bring a bag of his clothes before he'd get his shower done. He didn't have fantasies on wearing a white dress that stretched across his chest and tightly clung around his thick, bulky arms but left his rear exposed. Leave the indecency to Mulch.

The water that sprinkled from the perforated circular metal fixture on the ceiling calmed his nerves and relaxed his muscles, the sound of every bead of water on his skin filling his ears. He stood there, eyes closed, as he massaged his limbs, which were soon lathered with soapy water. He looked down and took in the reddish letter I on his chest—another reminder of his old age. He rubbed it harshly as though trying to erase it and white, bubbly foams soon covered it whole, at least for a while.

Just as his thoughts passed through his head, minutes passed him as well. Then there came a knock on the ward's door, which instantly alerted him. He froze and listened. It was Juliet who spoke, her voice muffled by distance and solid walls:

'Dom, I have your bag.'

Butler slackened his grip on the shower knob and took a step away from the stall to crack the bathroom's door open. 'Leave it on my bed. Thanks, Jules,' he said, knowing that she would know the code he had set on the entry keypad. He closed the door again.

'I have something to tell you, Dom,' he heard her say from outside as he dried himself off with the diminutive towelettes, but before he could reply, she impatiently rapped on the bathroom door. 'Hurry up.'

'I'm done, Juliet. Just a minute.' He cracked the door open by an inch again. 'Hand me some clothes, will you?'

A folded set immediately made their way through the open gap. The t-shirt on top even got snagged on the door lock. Butler took them and gently extricated the t-shirt as to not damage it any more than the tiny rip it acquired.

'Juliet, this is not mine.'

'Wear it. It's Mrs Fowl's gift.'

Butler looked back down at the garment he held, raising an eyebrow. He held up the t-shirt with his right hand as he set down the rest of the clothes on the low granite surface. It was plain white—nondescript. Not the type of gift Mrs Fowl would give. Shrugging mentally, he hung it on a peg on the door and took his boxer shorts and trousers from the vanity to put them on first, which he would later on realise was the best choice he had ever made that night.

'Juliet?' he called, taking the t-shirt next. 'Is Mrs Fowl—' He was suddenly cut off, and his voice faded into a thin, lasting yelp.

If someone—say, Juliet—had been in the same room as Butler (which, quite frankly would be difficult due to the tiny space) she would have seen how the t-shirt had gobbled him whole without choking at his size. The moment Butler inserted his arms in the garment and pulled it over his head, he was sucked into it like a vacuum would a dust bunny—just without the swift, rasping sound. There was another sound, however, when in retaliation and thrashing he made, he broke his ankle upon contact on the tiled wall.

And where he had stood, the t-shirt fell soundlessly.

Butler was gone.

* * *

**Please review. And as always, constructive criticisms are welcome. :)**


End file.
